Northern Michigan Cooking Classes at The Homestead in Glen Arbor

Learn the tastes of Italy with the spectacular scenery of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore just outside the door. The Homestead resort in the Northern Michigan town of Glen Arbor is offering classes in Italian cooking this winter.

The Homestead in Glen Arbor has announced its Winter 2012 schedule for cooking classes at Nonna’s Loft—a 900-square foot cooking school facility. Executive Chef John Piombo will lead hands-on instruction using fresh, local ingredients. Classes are being offered to both resort guests and the general public, starting in early January and running through early March.

Baked Pastas Cooking Demonstration

Saturday, January 7 at 11:30am

$50 (plus tax & gratuity)

Baked pasta dishes are popular in Italy because they can feed a lot of people without a lot of fuss. Let Chef John teach you how to prepare these delicious classic recipes to add to your y dinner table this and leave the hassle of cooking to the oven! Class includes a welcome glass of Prosecco, generous samples of all the dishes, wine and recipes.

Tenderloin, as the name suggests, is cut from the loin of an animal – a part of the body that does not get very much of a workout. It's that very lack of activity that makes this the tenderest part of the animal. This big boneless cut is easy to portion, straightforward to prepare and a breeze to carve. It's tender, delicious and easy to prepare making it the perfect solution for entertaining. Join Chef John for this demonstration, techniques and recipes using three cuts of tenderloin that will give your family and guests something to savor and remember. Class includes a welcome glass of Prosecco, generous samples of all the dishes, wine and recipes.

Join us for this popular class where you will learn the skill of making feather light gnocchi. Chef John has been preparing gnocchi for over 20 years and will guide you along as you create this old and traditional recipe. You'll also be making three different sauces to pair with your gnocchi. Following the instruction, sit down with your fellow chefs for a family-style lunch of your freshly made gnocchi. Limit 7 people.

In this class, Chef John will feature fresh pasta, its simplicity and three regional preparations. You’ll be amazed at the flavors of these pasta dishes and how easy it is to prepare them! Class includes a welcome glass of Prosecco, generous samples of all the dishes, wine and recipes.

Join us for one of our most popular classes. Scaloppine is an Italian dish consisting of thinly sliced meat or fish sautéed and served with a sauce. For this class, roll up your sleeves, put on your apron and join Chef John in the kitchen to learn to prepare four unique and delicious scaloppini preparations destined to become family favorites. When your work in the kitchen is done, sit down with a glass of wine and your classmates to enjoy your creations.

Join us for this popular class where you will learn the skill of making the perfect risotto. Chef John will guide you along as you create these recipes. Following the instruction, sit down with your fellow chefs for a family-style lunch.

The people of Genoa inventors of the ravioli. Home of Pesto, Farinata and Focaccia al Formaggio. In this class, Chef John will feature classical Genoese dishes, their history and development. You’ll be amazed at the flavors of these dishes and how easy it is to prepare them! Class includes a welcome glass of Prosecco, generous samples of all the dishes, wine and recipes.

The fee includes the demonstration or class, not inclusive of tax and gratuity. After the preparation, students – of course – get to eat what they’ve made. Reservations are required by calling 231.334.5150. Classes will be offered for at least four students, up to a maximum of seven. Demonstrations will be offered for at least four students, up to a maximum of twenty.

Born in the Bronx, Chef John Piombo’s parents returned to Italy when he was four and it was here that his love for all that is food grew immensely. After graduating from L’alberghiera Maria Mazzini in Genoa, Italy, Piombo spent years sharpening his skills in local restaurants. His travels took him to France, England, Germany and Spain, where he was exposed to different cultures, cuisines and cooking styles.

It was the late 1980's when Piombo returned to the United States, working at Tiberio’s (Washington DC-Bal Harbour), Stringfellow’s (London, England and Coconut Grove, Florida) and Letizia’s (New York).

Wishing to broaden his culinary skills, Piombo moved west to the San Francisco Bay Area in March 2000, where he accepted a sous chef position with the California Cafe’ in Walnut Creek. Here, he was exposed to Asian and Southwest influences, which he felt were missing from his repertoire. He was soon promoted to Executive Chef and continued to master his skills, observing all the talented chefs create culinary masterpieces with all the different ingredients that were available to them.

An opportunity to be closer to his family prompted Chef Piombo to accept a transfer to Orlando. From there, he made the move to Northwest Michigan and The Homestead. He dedicated three years (2004-2007) to building up the resort’s reputation as a dining destination, catering to owners, guests and locals. He took a brief hiatus, but was back at The Homestead by the summer of 2008, helping shape the world-class, locally-infused menu.

The Homestead is Northern Michigan’s largest waterfront resort community located in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – a unit of the National Park Service. Along with its unmatched natural setting and miles of frontage on Lake Michigan and the Crystal River, the resort offers guest pools, tennis and golf in the summer; downhill and cross country skiing in the winter; and shops, restaurants, meeting centers and the luxurious new Spa Amira throughout all four seasons.

MyNorth.com is the online home of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine, the flagship publication of MyNorth Media, a Traverse City, Michigan company dedicated to sharing stories and photos about vacations, restaurants, wineries, the outdoors and more from Traverse City to Sleeping Bear Dunes and up to Mackinac Island.